Carpet testing machine



1968 J. K BONHAM 3,364,726

CARPET TESTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1966 INVENTOR JAMES K. BONHAM fmww' ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,726 (ZAREPET TESTIYG MACHINEJames K. Eonharn, Huntington Mills, ?a., assiguor to The Magee QarpetCompany, Bioomshurg, P2,, a corporation of Fennsylvania Filed May 11,196-5, Ser. No. 543,345 6 Claims. (Cl. 73-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLGSUREAn apparatus for testing the wearability of a carpet seam including astand for supporting pieces of carpet joined together in abuttingrelation and reciprocating means for moving a swiveled caster wheel backand forth along the seam of the carpet. The stand having means at eachend for clamping the pieces of carpet with the scam in alinement withthe caster wheel and means for partially turning the swiveled casterwheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

This invention relates to a carpet testing machine particularly designedfor testing the wearability of carpet seams bonded with a hot meltprocess.

The device is designed for use with the testing machine disclosed inapplication Ser. No. 360,643 filed Apr. 17, 1964, now Patent No.3,286,505, wherein a stand hava flat top for suporting the carpet isprovided with rocker arms on opposite sides W ich support a friction barextending across the top of the stand in frictional contact with thecarpet. The present invention includes a bar having a swiveled casterwheel, mounted intermediate its ends, the bar being mounted in the slotsin the upper ends of the rocker arms in place of the friction bar shownin the above application. The pieces of carpet having their abuttingedges bonded together are placed on the top of the stand with the seamdisposed beneath the caster wheel, the wheel being held in frictionalcontact with the seam by tensioning means applied to the bar. Clampingbars at the ends of the top firmly secure the carpet in place and eachclamping bar is provided with a bumper bar adapted to contact theextended ends of the axle of the caster wheel to impart a partial turnto the caster Wheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle of thecaster wheel as it moves back and forth along the seam.

It is an object of the invention to provide a swiveled caster wheelmovable back and forth along the seam of the carpet being tested, meansfor holding the caster wheel in frictional contact with the carpet andmeans for imparting a partial turn to the caster wheel upon completionof each reciprocating cycle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following specification.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine,

FIG. 2 is atop plan view of the same,

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, and,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes a metal stand having asmooth metal top 6 supported at each corner by a vertical leg 7. A pairof rocker arms 3 are disposed on opposite sides of the stand which areconnected together to move in unison. The rocker arms are oscillatedback and forth by suitable mechanism, such as disclosed in theapplication referred to above. The upper ends of the rocker arms extendabove the top 6 and are bifurcated, as at 9, to provide open ended slotsto receive the ends of a bar 11! extending transversely across the top6. The bar is freely movable in the slots being guided in its movementby rollers 11 mounted on the inner face of the rocker arms in frictionalcontact with the bar. Angle brackets 12 are attached to the sides of thebar for contact with the outer face of the rocker arms to hold the baragainst longitudinal movement. Springs 13 for exerting a downward pullon the bar have one end attached to the ends of the bar by a pin 14 andtheir other end attached to the outer face of the rocker arms by a pin15, below and in vertical alinement with the slots. The bar is providedintermediate its ends with a laterally projecting plate 16 whichsupports a swivel caster wheel 17 having a stud 13 extending upwardlythrough the plate rotatably connecting the caster wheel to the plate.The axle 19 rotatably supporting the wheel of the caster has each endextended beyond the wheel to provide bumper pins 20. The caster wheel isnormally held in rolling contact with the surface of the top 6 by thetension of the springs 13 on the bar 16.

t each end of the top 6 in parallel relation to the bar it is a clampingbar 21, of angular shape in cross section, which is attached to the topby adjusting screws 22 for raising and lowering the clamping bars. Thepieces of carpet 23 to be tested are placed on the top 6 with the edgesto be tested in abutting relation and in alinement with the casterwheel. The pieces of carpet are held in fixed position by the clampingbars and projecting laterally from each clamping bar are bumper lates 24which are in alignment with opposite bumper pins 20 for engagement withthe bumper pins at the end of each reciprocating cycle of the rockerarms so as to partially turn the caster wheel around. Frictional contactbetween the caster wheel and carpet causes the wheel to complete theturn as it travels through the return cycle. The bumper plates 24 areadjustably mounted for sideways adjustment on the clamping bars to varythe extent of the turn given to the caster wheel.

in order to test the wearability of carpet seams bonded with a hot meltprocess, the pieces of carpet have their abutting edges joined togetherby applying hot melt sealing materials to the edges. The pieces ofcarpet are placed on the top 6 with the seam in alignment with thecaster wheel 17 and held in position by the clamping bars 21. Uponoscillating the rocker arms 5 the caster wheel is reciprocated back andforth along the seam of the carpet pieces and at the end of eachreciprocating cycle the caster wheel is turned around. The pressure ofthe caster wheel on the carpet varies due to the tension of the springs13 on the bar It The constant reciprocation of the caster wheel alongthe seam of the carpet determines the wearability of the seam and theability of the bonding material to withstand unraveling of the carpet atthe seams.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A carpet seam testing machine comprising a stand for supportingpieces of carpet joined together in abutting relation, 21 caster wheelin Contact with the seam of the carpet having an upright stud pivotallymounting the caster Wheel to turn in a circular path over the carpet andmeans for reciprocating said caster wheel along the seam of the carpet.

2. A machine as described in claim 1 including means on said stand toartially turn said caster upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

3. A machine as described in claim 1 wherein the axle of said casterwheel projects beyond the sides of said wheel, and a bumper bar isdisposed at each end of said stand in alinement with the projecting endof the axle of said caster wheel for imparting a partial turn to saidwheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

1. A machine as described in claim 1 including clamping bars each end ofsaid stand for holding the pieces of carpet with the scam in alinementwith said caster wheel and bumpers carried by said clamping bars adaptedas 3 to partially turn said caster wheel in a horizontal direction uponcompletion of each reciprocating cycle.

5. A machine as described in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating meansincludes a bar extending transversely above the carpet seam forsupporting said caster wheel and means exerting a downward pressure onsaid bar to hold said caster Wheel in frictional contact with the carpetseam.

6. A machine as describd in claim 5 wherein said reciprocating meansincludes oscillating rocker arms at the sides of said stand having slotsin their upper ends to slidably support the ends of said bar and saidmeans for exerting a downward pressure on said bar are springs 4. havingone end connected to the ends of said bar and the other end connected tosaid rocker arms below said slots.

10 LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiner.

I. NOLTON, Assistant Examiner.

